Primal Gear’s Compact Folding Survival Bow

Primal Gear Unlimited is a company that specializes in ‘hunting, survival, camping and every day carry”. They’ve only been around for approximately a year now but are making a big impression. Headquartered in Guyton, GA, they are the manufacturers of the Compact Folding Survival Bow. This compact, lightweight takedown bow comes in 50- and 55- pound draw weight, though there are some confusing notes on their website that make it unclear if the 50lb draw bow is actually 60lbs.

The CFSB survival bow was designed by archery enthusiast (and Primal Gear co-founder) Jeff Barber to address issues with traditional takedown recurve bow. Among these was the possibility of losing or breaking parts while the bow as in breakdown mode, the time it takes to assemble and the actual number of pieces the weapon disassembled into. Barber’s initial design addressed these potential problems by keeping the bow in a single compact piece even while broken down. In breakdown mode the riser of the bow acts as a sheath to protect the limbs. Unfortunately this design was found to be too tough to machine and the necessary ‘poured materials’ would either be too weak to stand up to the pressure of the limbs when the bow as in use or, if they were strong enough, they’d be too heavy to be functional. In the end the riser was made of machined T-6 6061 aircraft aluminum and the limbs built of fiberglass.

The CFSB is built so the only tools needed to reassemble would be those any hunter or survivalist would have with them. They are very small and compact when folded, small enough in fact to throw behind the seat of a vehicle or in the locker on a boat, and at 2 1/4lbs total weight are light enough to carry in a small pack (or cinch it down on the outside).

The Go Primal website and Facebook page have several explanatory videos, including this one from Dave Canterbury of The Pathfinder School and another where Jeff Barber demonstrates the bow assembly and then chronographs the arrow speed.

Arrow velocity will vary from 155 to 165fps with a draw weight of 40lbs at 26” and 50lbs at 28” (CFSB-1/50) or 181fps with a draw weight of 47lbs at 27” and 55lbs at 28” (CFSB-1/55). Both can be taken down to convert from right- to left-handed or to replace the limbs.

The Primal Gear Unlimited Compact Folding Survival Bow is made in the USA and retails for $129.00 on their website, where you can purchase replacement limbs, additional strings and even takedown arrows in sets of 3.